NPR 2008-10-31

While it takes two quarters of economic contraction¹ for most economists² to call a recession, one of those quarters is now in the record books. That follows an announcement from the Commerce Department today, the nation's Gross Domestic Product, the broadest measure of U. S. economic growth, shrank at a 0. 3% annual rate in the third quarter. The contraction for the three months ending in September was the sharpest in seven years. Many economists are looking for even worse numbers for the current quarter as consumer sharply rein³ in their spending as a result of the weakened economy.

Campaigning in Sarasota, Florida, Democrat⁴ Barack Obama reacted to the news the nation's GDP had fallen. He says it's further evidence of the failed economic policies of the Bush administration. NPR's Don Gonyea reports.

The new GDP numbers came out just prior to an Obama rally in Florida's Gulf⁵ Coast. In response, he added the following to a speech at an outdoor rally on a baseball diamond. "That means we're producing less, we are selling less, our economy is actually shrinking. Florida's in its first recession in 16 years. Across the country we saw the largest decline in consumer spending in 28 years. As wages failed to keep up with the rising costs of living, folks have to watch every penny. We've got to work hard these last five days. " In his speech, Obama said an economic turnaround won't be easy, but he says John McCain's policies will do nothing more than continue the path taken by President Bush. Don Gonyea, NPR News, in Sarasota.

Republican presidential hopeful John McCain was joined on a campaign trail for the first time today by the Ohio plumber⁶ he made famous. NPR's Scott Horsley has that story.

John McCain has been talking for weeks about Joe, the plumber, using Ohio plumber Joe Wurzelbacher as an example of the kind of person who's concerned about having his taxes raised by Barack Obama. Wurzelbacher appeared alongside McCain for the first time during a campaign bus trip through Ohio at the first stop in Sandusky. Wurzelbacher simply urged people to get informed about the issues and vote. He later offered a more clear-cut endorsement⁷. "Smaller governments, you know, as far as everyone else here, you know, lots of questions have been asked. I’m going to vote for a real American - John McCain. " While McCain has credited Wurzelbacher for raising concern about Obama's tax plan, the plumber would almost certainly qualify for a tax-break under the Illinois Senator's proposal. Scott Horsley, NPR News, traveling with the McCain campaign.

Big cuts at American Express, the New York-based financial services giant, said today it will ax roughly 7, 000 jobs, or 10% of its workforce⁸ as it seeks to reduce expenses by 1. 8 billion dollars next year. The nation's fourth largest issuer of credit cards says it is the biggest restructuring at the company since 2001. The cuts at AMX come as the company faces increased numbers of bad loans and higher financing costs.

On Wall Street today, the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 189 points to close at 9, 180. The NASDAQ was up 41 points today. The S&P 500 gained 24 points. This is NPR.

Two white supremacist skinheads will remain behind the bars. They were accused of hatching a bizarre plot that included killing⁹ students at a predominately black high school, donning white tuxedos¹⁰ and top hats and attacking Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama. A federal magistrate¹¹ in Tennessee today granted a defense¹² motion to delay a hearing in the case of 20-year-old Daniel Cowart and 18-year-old Paul Schlesselman in order to give lawyers more time to prepare for a hearing on whether the case should go to a grand jury. The pair are accused of possessing illegal firearm, planning to steal weapons and threats against the presidential candidate.

Two weeks before a proposed meeting by Nebraska lawmakers to change the state's Safe Haven¹³ law, another teenager has been dropped off at a hospital there. From NET Radio in Nebraska, Sarah McCammon reports.

The 17-year-old left at an Omaha Hospital last night is the 24th child to be dropped off since mid-September. Nebraska's Safe Haven law includes no age limit for children that can be left at hospitals. Governor Dave Heineman announced yesterday, he is calling a special legislative¹⁴ session to address the issue. He said a majority of the legislature has agreed to a proposal that would limit the age of children who can be dropped off to 72 hours. The special session will begin November 14th. Many of the two-dozen children given up so far were teenagers and none were newborns. Children from Iowa, Michigan and Georgia have also been left at Nebraska hospitals since the law took effect. For NPR News, I'm Sarah McCammon in Lincoln, Nebraska.

Hubble Space Telescope is back up and running a month after a breaking down. Scientists at the Hubble Space Telescope Institute in Baltimore said the 10-billion-dollar space telescope is working as well as it was before a September shutdown. Scientists made two repair attempts for successfully switching to a backup computer.

1 contraction   

n.缩略词，缩写式，害病

参考例句：

• The contraction of this muscle raises the lower arm.肌肉的收缩使前臂抬起。
• The forces of expansion are balanced by forces of contraction.扩张力和收缩力相互平衡。

2 economists   

n.经济学家，经济专家( economist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The sudden rise in share prices has confounded economists. 股价的突然上涨使经济学家大惑不解。
• Foreign bankers and economists cautiously welcomed the minister's initiative. 外国银行家和经济学家对部长的倡议反应谨慎。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 rein   

n.疆绳，统治，支配；vt.以僵绳控制，统治

参考例句：

• The horse answered to the slightest pull on the rein.只要缰绳轻轻一拉,马就作出反应。
• He never drew rein for a moment till he reached the river.他一刻不停地一直跑到河边。

4 democrat   

n.民主主义者，民主人士；民主党党员

参考例句：

• The Democrat and the Public criticized each other.民主党人和共和党人互相攻击。
• About two years later,he was defeated by Democrat Jimmy Carter.大约两年后，他被民主党人杰米卡特击败。

5 gulf   

n.海湾；深渊，鸿沟；分歧，隔阂

参考例句：

• The gulf between the two leaders cannot be bridged.两位领导人之间的鸿沟难以跨越。
• There is a gulf between the two cities.这两座城市间有个海湾。

6 plumber   

n.(装修水管的)管子工

参考例句：

• Have you asked the plumber to come and look at the leaking pipe?你叫管道工来检查漏水的管子了吗？
• The plumber screwed up the tap by means of a spanner.管子工用板手把龙头旋紧。

7 endorsement   

n.背书；赞成，认可，担保；签(注)，批注

参考例句：

• We are happy to give the product our full endorsement.我们很高兴给予该产品完全的认可。
• His presidential campaign won endorsement from several celebrities.他参加总统竞选得到一些社会名流的支持。

8 workforce   

n.劳动大军，劳动力

参考例句：

• A large part of the workforce is employed in agriculture.劳动人口中一大部分受雇于农业。
• A quarter of the local workforce is unemployed.本地劳动力中有四分之一失业。

9 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

10 tuxedos   

n.餐服，无尾晚礼服( tuxedo的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Our services include design and tailoring for wedding gowns, tuxedos and party dressesfrom and American brands. 们的服务范围包括高级婚纱设计定制，高级礼服、派对装设计定制，及欧美一线品牌成衣的驳样定制。 来自互联网
• Most tuxedos are black, but some people like to wear white ones called 'morning suits'. 大多数男士无尾晚礼服是黑色的，不过有些人喜欢穿那种被称为“晨服”的白色装。 来自互联网

11 magistrate   

n.地方行政官，地方法官，治安官

参考例句：

• The magistrate committed him to prison for a month.法官判处他一个月监禁。
• John was fined 1000 dollars by the magistrate.约翰被地方法官罚款1000美元。

12 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

13 haven   

n.安全的地方，避难所，庇护所

参考例句：

• It's a real haven at the end of a busy working day.忙碌了一整天后，这真是一个安乐窝。
• The school library is a little haven of peace and quiet.学校的图书馆是一个和平且安静的小避风港。

14 legislative   

n.立法机构，立法权；adj.立法的，有立法权的

参考例句：

• Congress is the legislative branch of the U.S. government.国会是美国政府的立法部门。
• Today's hearing was just the first step in the legislative process.今天的听证会只是展开立法程序的第一步。